Jacks Humble IceRays 6-1

Odessa gains ground in playoff race in front of season’s largest crowd.

ODESSA, TX– In front of 3,863 screaming Jacks fans, the Odessa Jackalopes took advantage of the season’s largest crowd to date, exploding for three goals in each of the second and third periods to defeat the Corpus Christi IceRays 6-1 on Saturday at Ector County Coliseum. With the win, the Jacks improved to 15-20-5 overall and 3-1-2 against the IceRays so far this season. With 35 points, Odessa remains alone in fifth place in the NAHL’s South Division standings, but gained ground on Corpus Christi, pulling to within eight points of the ‘Rays for the South Division’s fourth and final playoff spot.

After a scoreless first period, the Jacks came out firing in the second, tallying three unanswered goals in the frame, a Lawrence Cornellier power-play marker at 9:39, his fifth of the season, a penalty-shot goal from Tyler Poulsen at 13:08, his eighth of the year and a short-handed tally from Jared Docken at 14:59 on a nifty one-time feed from Jalen Krogman. Corpus Christi responded late in the second when Danny Fetzer wrapped an even-strength marker around Odessa netmider Connor Hellebuyck’s left pad at 17:26, the IceRays’ only goal of the game.

The third period saw more of the same from a determined Odessa offense, as the goals started piling up. First a Josh Obregon short-handed tally from Ryan Atkinson at 7:38, Obregon’s 13th of the season, made it 4-1, then a Jalen Krogman rebound score at 14:38 extended the lead even further. Tyler Cayemberg wrapped up the onslaught at 17:51 of the final frame as he stashed home his third goal of the season to make it 6-1 Jacks.

A night after his four-game point streak was snapped, Cornellier led all Jacks scorers with three points (1G, 2A) and Krogman and Cayemberg chipped in an additional two points apiece.

With star netminder Anthony Stolarz unavailable for the IceRays, Sean Keating made 26 saves in his NAHL debut. With the victory, Hellebuyck improved his record to 14-16-5 in net for the Jcaks and stopped 16 of the season-low 17 shots he faced.

Next up for Odessa, it’s a Sunday capper to another three-game weekend as the Jacks head north to Amarillo for a 6pm tilt with the NAHL’s top team, the Amarillo Bulls.

The Odessa Jackalopes celebrate their 15th Anniversary in 2011-12 and drop the puck on their inaugural campaign as a member of the North American Hockey League. Season tickets, mini-plans, and single game tickets are available by calling (432) 552-7825 or by visiting the Jacks online at www.jackalopes.org.

Be sure to follow the Jackalopes on Twitter @LetsGoJacks all season long and don’t forget to ‘Like’ the official “Odessa Jackalopes” fan page on Facebook.